Describe Job That Went YOUR Way!

[StihlRockin']

Several years back I did an estimate for a large blown over 70ft Jackpine that was lying over/into some nearby Red Oak trees. The owner of the blown over tree was concerned the tree will do even more damage if it fell deeper because the oaks were not his and there was a nearby cabin sort of underneath it, slightly.

I looked at the tree carefully and figured how I would take it down, then figured what I wanted for the job, etc. It wasn't cheap either... $495? Anyway, I wasn't confident to get the job when I handed the estimate to him, but he said "When could you do it?" Knowing he wanted it done right away, I said "First thing in the morning."

One thing I do recall learning on this job was to carefully look at ALL possibilities on "how" the tree limbs, etc, were going to be hauled from the specific position. I figured they would be hauled with wheelbarrow and grunt work back up a small rise and back into the owner's yard where it can be cleaned up.

As we got there early that morning, I knew something looked different. Nobody seemed to be stirring around yet, so I went to take a peek at what the deal was. I quickly assessed the dang tree while being subjected to winds all through the night, worked it's way ALL the way through the oak limbs and came to a FLAT resting halt right on the ground! I couldn't hardly find a broken limb nor was the cabin in jeopardy. Instead of grunt-working all the debris back up a small hill and into the owner's yard, I backed up the chipper right up to the tree, cut 'er up, and starting chipping. What was to be a several hour job being meticulous not to break branches, etc, it ended up being a 1-hour job! To this day I can't believe I didn't see the backside entry road to clean the debris up!

Couldn't have gone any sweeter!

How 'bout you? Have any jobs that went waaaay better than you expected?

StihlRockin'

 

[TDunk]

I did a job earlier this year. Beach tree (about 18") that had blight real bad on the back side of the tree. The tree had a BAD lean right over the out-house, trees and power line to the left, and the camp to the right. The tree started straight up and basicly leaned so bad that it leveled off at about 50 ft. The only way to get it down was to pull it back against the lean. So i called up my father in law (been doing this stuff for 30 + years) and started to pull it straight back and we had it about straight up when you could see some cracks open up and started to pop and snap.

So we decided to pull it of the the right side and back (going to be really close to the camp) So we tell everyone to get out of the camp. We pulled it till it started to pop, and cut the notch. Then pulled it some more till it started to pop again and started the back cut. It Just cleared by a couple feet, some of the branches tickled the camp. I thought for sure something was going to get railed. If we had to go any farther i don't think it would have held together, but i was nervous as all get out. Never been so happy to get a tree on the ground.

 

[Raymond]

Several years back I did an estimate for a large blown over 70ft Jackpine that was lying over/into some nearby Red Oak trees. The owner of the blown over tree was concerned the tree will do even more damage if it fell deeper because the oaks were not his and there was a nearby cabin sort of underneath it, slightly.

I looked at the tree carefully and figured how I would take it down, then figured what I wanted for the job, etc. It wasn't cheap either... $495? Anyway, I wasn't confident to get the job when I handed the estimate to him, but he said "When could you do it?" Knowing he wanted it done right away, I said "First thing in the morning."

One thing I do recall learning on this job was to carefully look at ALL possibilities on "how" the tree limbs, etc, were going to be hauled from the specific position. I figured they would be hauled with wheelbarrow and grunt work back up a small rise and back into the owner's yard where it can be cleaned up.

As we got there early that morning, I knew something looked different. Nobody seemed to be stirring around yet, so I went to take a peek at what the deal was. I quickly assessed the dang tree while being subjected to winds all through the night, worked it's way ALL the way through the oak limbs and came to a FLAT resting halt right on the ground! I couldn't hardly find a broken limb nor was the cabin in jeopardy. Instead of grunt-working all the debris back up a small hill and into the owner's yard, I backed up the chipper right up to the tree, cut 'er up, and starting chipping. What was to be a several hour job being meticulous not to break branches, etc, it ended up being a 1-hour job! To this day I can't believe I didn't see the backside entry road to clean the debris up!

Couldn't have gone any sweeter!

How 'bout you? Have any jobs that went waaaay better than you expected?

StihlRockin'

495 sounded cheap to me for several hours of work but hey I wasn't there so I don't know.

 

[Rickytree]

Picture a backyard in a small town more deep than wide (25 feet). 5 dead elms around 35to 40 feet high and a topped ash tree which stood 25 feet. Dead elm hanging over fence I installed a rope in the ash with a pulley. Started to lift it off, up and over with the grcs. Got it in the HO backyard when the top broke out of the ash landing everything in the centre of the backyard. I then had to move my tie in point to a tree on the side of the backyard. Took another dead elm same kinda thing hanging over fence, but when this one came around over to took the top out of the cherry tree which I told the customer I would get. Worked Beautifully. Was out in 1.5 hours for $450. Skidouch!!

 

[Raymond]

my very first claw truck hire, was a large notch and drop cottonwood. No ropes, just a brainless notch and drop...2 grand.

Hired my new clawtruck buddy Mike to pick it up. What would of took us a good long day maybe another half day, turned into a 2 hour EASY job. I wanted to go get his number tattooed in the palm of my hand.

2000 bucks and home before noon without eating Advil or a shower even...Now that's what I'm talkin' about.

 

[treemandan]

I guess for the past 20 years its been going my way, some set backs, failures and quag mire but...with a lot of sweat and a little luck.

Now what you are describing almost sounds un-ethical. You gave a bid to do a job, the job changed- the bid?

Regardless of what you charged what you did was not what the bid was for. Some natural force changed evrything. Hey, I mean if the guy was willing to pay that's great and I would get it in 1 dollar bills.

A friend told me about when he was contracted to renovated apts. in Society Hill (2 big apt. towers down by Penn's Landing). He had to move this big hot tub and bid 7000 to do it. He apparently then figured an real easy way to do it and did it. He said he thought of the way to move it after he gave the bid, claimed he was a genius and maybe for that he was BUT...

A. The job was for a guy who handed him work FOR The S.H. Towers!
B. A question: Shouldn't the guy contracted to do the job know how to do it from go? Especially if he is charging 7grand to move a hot tub?

A few thing relate here to this I think but not all entirely. I don't know the client in this pine tree case but I know clients are kinda like A. They provide work, something to keep around. B is a little different of a situation but its still a second factor. In the pine tree case it just came down on its own.
This tree job changed. If you had given a price to climb and drop a tree that is over a house and then the tree falls into the woods?
So, if the positions where reversed? What if you where paying? Anyway, its not my point about what was charged to clean up this tree besides, The Dan cannot add hours and money in a manner that makes any sense. I do thank you for being so forthright in telling us the price though, I do the same and am glad it went well.

 

[familytreeman]

MY WAY OR my other way

If you run your own business, NO PARTNERS, then all jobs go your way!

 

[gr8scott72]

If you run your own business, NO PARTNERS, then all jobs go your way!

I've always heard that the only ship that won't sail is a partnership.

 

[StihlRockin']

495 sounded cheap to me for several hours of work but hey I wasn't there so I don't know.

"Several years back I did an estimate"...

I bid the job thinking it will take no longer than 3 1/2 hours taking my time being careful. Oh, and of course since I didn't specify every minute detail of my story, and since the time/price question came out, I should have prefaced my post by saying this was around 16 years ago.

-----------------------

...almost sounds un-ethical. You gave a bid to do a job, the job changed- the bid?

**** no! I gave a bid to remove a tree and it's debris. The owner later heard it made it's way to the ground on it's own. He said nothing, but was happy to see no additional damage took place and was happy realizing I'd take the job on such short notice. Many times things change along the course of the bid time and sudden factors arise that makes me do the job longer. Most often I'll eat the extra time it takes and move on. I gave a bid, the job changed- the bid? No, I sucked it up. I'll take the way this job went...MY way.

StihlRockin'

 

[Mikecutstrees]

I agree you win some you loose some. Jobs that go easier than you thought make up for the ones that don't. The trees filled with nails and metal etc..... Mike

 

[Rickytree]

I agree you win some you loose some. Jobs that go easier than you thought make up for the ones that don't. The trees filled with nails and metal etc..... Mike

Concrete is the worst, by the time you notice you hit something it's past too late.

 

[StihlRockin']

I agree you win some you loose some. Jobs that go easier than you thought make up for the ones that don't. The trees filled with nails and metal etc..... Mike

And here's one you can determine yourself...

I bid to remove this tree that had landscape bricks laid ALL around it. I was to not break, dent or scratch any of the bricks. LOL! I did a great job in very good time. I was happy...

...until I started work in on the stump... I saw this crevice in the tree, but didn't think much of it. I started to cut the tree low so I could grind it. I hit something and it wrecked my $17, at the time, Stihl chain. I put on a new chain and commenced cutting some more... IN THE SAME PLACE! Wrecked $17 chain number 2. This time I was smart, or so I had thought, and repositioned the bar for a final and hopefully last cut.

Chain number 3.... POOF!... along with $51. I then went to the Stihl dealer and he sold me a $100 chain that had semi-carbide in the teeth. This time I was going to be victorious! After a bit of cutting I realized I was gaining a bit of ground, until I wasn't getting anywhere any more.

POOF!.... chain number 4, of which cost me a cool Benjamin, was now toast. Long story short, I should have checked that "crevice". It ended up being an old crack or hole that developed and many years ago, someone filled in the crack with that ol'time concrete. You know the stuff; the mix that came out HARD, real hard, well, like concrete. LOL! Not this candy-*ss concrete they have today.

Win some or lose some, that job was obvious. LOL!

StihlRockin'

 

[TimberMcPherson]

had a tall pine to do that was above a house on a retaining bank 3m tall with a steep hill/bank behind it. most of the tree was over the house. It was going to be a grcs and rig for 2 days, with 2 days of carring it all out (usual wonderful access for our town)

We went in the first day, got the rigging up and the light winds forecast ended up being over 65mph. The rigging got spiderwebed all over the show and I was looking at calling it quits so started cutting small stuff on my way down, it sailed into the bank. I cut bigger stuff, it sailed into the bank behind. Ended up stripping the whole stick in less than 3 hours instead of 2 days. Made a massive mess but it saved alot of time.

The winds in this city have often come to our rescue, but then they have screwed us more often than I would like to remember.